MEASURE NO. 24-237: MP3 Version

Proposed by Initiative Petition

Measure Requiring A City Wide Vote On All Annexations

Question: Shall all future annexations, including delayed, unless mandated by law, require a majority vote of the electors to be valid?

Summary: Annexation is the legal process to bring property inside the City limits. Under current law, all annexation requests are approved or disapproved by the City Council. This proposal would change that and amend the City Charter to require that an annexation request must be voted on by the citizens of Aurora, and receive a majority vote, before such request is approved. The request would still have to meet all land use laws.

Explanatory Statement

Annexation is the legal process of bringing property inside the city limits of the City of Aurora. Annexation is necessary, in all but limited cases, before the City can extend and provide City public facilities and services to property outside the city limits. These public facilities and services include, but are not limited to, City police and public works services, and City water, sewer, storm drainage, and street systems. When annexation does occur the City’s tax base usually increases by the assessed value of the property annexed, and the City can then tax or otherwise assess property to pay for the extension and provision of City public facilities and services.

Traditionally, the City has annexed territory into the City with the consent of the property owner and the passage of an Ordinance by the City Council. Under current state law and the Aurora Municipal Code (“AMC”), all annexation requests in the City are considered on a case by case basis, taking into account the goals and policies in the Aurora Comprehensive Plan, long range costs and benefits of annexation, statewide planning goals, ORS Chapter 222, AMC Chapter 16.66, other ordinances of the City of Aurora, and the policies and regulations of affected agencies’ jurisdictions and special districts, such as the Aurora Rural Fire District and North Marion County School District.

Notice is given to adjacent property owners, a staff report is prepared addressing the annexation laws, a public hearing is held by the Planning Commission which results in a recommendation to the City Council, and a final public hearing and decision is made by the City Council. AMC 16.66040 requires that an annexation request must prove that: 1) there is sufficient public facilities and services capacity to serve all net buildable lands inside the City at the maximum allowed density plus additional capacity to serve the proposed annexation area at its maximum allowed density, and 2) that it meets the requirements of a three-tiered priority list. ORS Chapter 222 does not require the City to submit an annexation proposal to a vote of the electors of the City, and the City Council has traditionally dispensed with submitting the proposal to the voters, and followed state law and called a public hearing.

Submitted by:

Laurie Boyce, City Recorder

City of Aurora

No arguments in favor of or opposed to this measure were filed.